WPC 2026
PD Reflection - White Privilege Conference April, 2026
Attending the conference hosted by The Privilege Institute proved to be a meaningful step in my ongoing journey of professional growth and my commitment to better serve my students. As an educator, I found it essential to deepen my understanding of diversity, power, privilege, supremacy, and antiracist leadership.
The opportunity to connect with a network of diverse professionals was invaluable for expanding my knowledge, challenging my perspectives, and strengthening my leadership skills. Engaging with this community allowed me to gain practical strategies, informed insights, and reflective tools that enriched my teaching practice and better support students from all backgrounds.
The experience not only contributed to my own growth, but also had a direct and positive impact on my classroom. I now feel better equipped to foster meaningful dialogue, cultivate inclusive spaces, and guide my students in developing critical awareness, empathy, and a commitment to equity and accountability. Additionally, the conference supported my work with third and fourth-grade students in their affinity spaces.
Reflecting on the first day, I found that the opening speaker, Monique Clark, made a significant impact on me. Her story about disability, access, and the journey of coming of age highlighted the importance of bringing one’s authentic self to all spaces. She spoke about the balance between authenticity, adaptation, and performance, offering a toolbox of strategies for navigating these aspects of identity. Learning about her company, Clark Laine, and its focus on accessibility, was also inspiring.
In Kathy Obear’s workshop, "What Do We Do Now? Dilemmas and Challenges in these times of Fascist Backlash," I appreciated the space to share, listen, and reflect with other educators. We explored how leadership and colleagues react to challenges, and discussed the importance of accountability groups, inclusive language, and belonging. The workshop emphasized returning to our core purpose—who we serve and how to bring more people to the table. We discussed strategies for finding common ground, building collective action, and celebrating small wins. I was struck by the idea of getting to know those with opposing views as individuals, which can help shift perspectives and foster understanding.
What Do We Do Now? Dilemmas and Challenges in these times of Fascist Backlash
Share, listen, reflect.
How did your leadership & colleagues react?
Dilemmas: accountability groups - language & belonging - growing work/group by working together as a larger group and aligning around the challenges together
Getting back to purpose, who do we serve?
Who do we work with? What makes people not want to show up?
As the conference closed, I committed to taking at least one concrete antiracist action in the coming weeks—an intention that I will carry back to my school community.